The intensive influx of algae onto the beaches of Mexico's Caribbean coast will last at least until November this year, although in previous years it continued until September. The volumes of algae collected from Mexican beaches will be record-breaking. This prediction was made by Esteban Jesus Amaro Mauricio, a hydrobiologist and director of the Sargassum Algae Monitoring Network from Cancun, Mexico.
Esteban Amaro bases his forecast on an analysis of satellite images of the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, which are regularly opened by the Laboratory of Optical Oceanography of the University of Florida from the USA. Off the coast of Brazil, where sargassum seaweed begins its journey into the North Atlantic, unusually large accumulations of algae are still observed. The amount of algae in the ocean shows no signs of declining yet. And if in previous years the algae season usually ended in September, the dynamics of their development this year indicate that the season can last until November. At the same time, it is not at all necessary that the algae will wash up on the coast of Mexico and not be carried north, towards the United States. Everything will depend on the direction of prevailing winds and sea currents in the coming months.
The coasts of Tulum and Playa del Carmen, which are already experiencing the arrival of critically high volumes of algae, will be most affected.
This year, from January to mid-August, 30.3 thousand tons of algae were collected on the beaches of the resort of Playa del Carmen. This is 12.2 thousand tons more than in the same period last year (21.1 thousand tons), or 50%. Most of the beaches in the central and northern parts of the resort are still affected by algae: the water is brown in color and has an unpleasant odor.
Opposite the coast of Tulum, 2.4 kilometers of anti-algae barriers were installed. But barriers began to be installed after significant volumes of algae approached the shore or reached the beaches. In addition, most likely, the angle of placement was chosen incorrectly, without taking into account the currents. As a result, the beaches of Tulum are now — some of the most polluted on the Caribbean coast. From the hill of the archaeological zone of Tulum, one can observe that a brown strip of algae in the sea stretches for several kilometers on both sides of the ruins.
Every day, early in the morning, utility workers and hotel staff go to the beaches to collect algae that has washed ashore. But human efforts are clearly not enough. The algae comes in faster than they can be removed, and the work looks like Sisyphean labor. Intensive removal of algae along with sand has led to significant erosion of a number of beaches in Playa del Carmen, but local authorities intend to import sand from other beaches after the algae seasonally decreases.
Guests of the state are disappointed by the large amount of algae on the beaches. However, many are already accustomed to the fact that they have the opportunity to choose a cleaner beach, and their morning begins with questions on social networks about which beach has the least algae today. Web cameras installed on the beaches of many hotels and transmitting images to the Internet also help.
Of the 80 beaches on Mexico's Caribbean coast that are regularly monitored for pollution, 18 are currently very heavily polluted with algae, 20 — moderate, there is relatively little algae on 38 beaches, and only 4 beaches are completely free of algae. Traditionally, the beaches of the southern part of the state of Quintana Roo and the Riviera Maya are the most polluted, and to a lesser extent — beaches of Cancun. There are almost no algae on the islands.